Points to ponder for Bauza's UAE ahead of World Cup qualifier against Iraq

The UAE can cope without Omar

Injured before last week's Asian Champions League clash with Al Hilal, an encounter he still played through, Omar Abdulrahman was not deemed fit enough to take part on Tuesday. So the UAE had to do without their standout star for a must-win match against their chief rivals. Instead, Abdulrahman was sent to Barcelona to receive medical attention. He will not be back in time for Iraq. Yet the UAE showed they can not only survive without him, but thrive. Although 34, Ismail Matar excelled in his place. Mohammed Abdulrahman, his brother, impressed as a second-half substitute. The midfield looked balanced and strong defensively. Undoubtedly, the UAE are a better team with Abdulrahman at its heart, but they came through in his absence. Going forward, it proved it is the collective that matters most.

Explainer: How UAE can still qualify for World Cup finals

UAE duo Ahmed Khalil, centre, and Ali Mabkhout, right, stepped up in the absence of Omar Abdulraman on Tuesday. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Khalil and Mabkhout live up to their billing

With Abdulrahman missing on Tuesday, the UAE's "Big Three" was cut to two. Undeniably, Ahmed Khalil and Ali Mabkhout are the team's most recognisable stars after Abdulrahman, but in recent matches they had frustrated. Already fine reputations were far from reinforced. But then Mabkhout scored what he described as his best goal for the national team, displaying supreme control and a fine finish. It arrived moments after the Saudis had taken the lead. Not to be outdone, Khalil grabbed the winner, thundering a shot from range high into the opposition net. Now he has 16 goals and sits joint-top in the scoring charts for the entire 2018 World Cup qualification. With his goal, meanwhile, Mabkhout showed the class that sealed the Golden Boot at the 2015 Asian Cup. A welcome return to form for both, it has to continue.

Watch Mabkhout's superb strike

Bauza hints at what is to come

It was an inauspicious start to Edgardo Bauza's tenure. Appointed in May, the Argentine took his new side to Thailand in June, but his UAE debut ended in a hugely damaging draw. It even required an injury-time goal to salvage a point. Thailand were, and remain, the group's bottom team. Straightaway, the pressure piled on Bauza, despite the limited time with his new charges. Then on Tuesday, he devised a game plan to defeat Saudi Arabia. Bauza set up the UAE in a 4-3-1-2 formation – a welcome break from the 4-4-2 that had become prosaic and predictable during Mahdi Ali's reign. It provided a solid base and allowed the team to utilise Khalil and Mabkhout. It suggested the UAE will, finally, become more tactically flexible. Bauza should get only better as he adapts to his new role.

Suspensions could hit hard

Mahmoud Khamis received a red card late on, sent off moments from time for a second bookable offence. As such, the UAE left-back departed the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium with a blot on an otherwise stellar performance, ruling him out of the campaign concluder against Iraq next week. Mabkhout will miss out as well, as will midfielder Khamis Esmail. Both collected Already on a booking from previous matches, they both collected another. Abdulrahman, meanwhile, will not be back in time. Subsequently, Ahmed Al Attas and Mohammed Abdulbasit have been called into the squad. While they are talented, the UAE will miss four key players for what is another must-win match. Their World Cup hopes, however faint, depend on the decider in Jordan. It requires another, unfortunately enforced, rejig from Bauza.

Also from John McAuley:

Building momentum for Iraq and beyond

The record was regrettable, a sign that a familiar foe possessed a physical and psychological advantage. The UAE had not defeated Saudi Arabia in more than a decade, not since the semi-final victory in the 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations. Of the past nine meetings before Tuesday, the Saudis had won eight and drawn the other. However, the UAE out-fought and out-thought their neighbours. It was a victory constructed upon commitment, cunning and a couple of elite-level goals. Even if the World Cup dream ends in Iraq next week, the UAE must take heart from defeating a dominant rival. They had triumphed in the ‘Clasico’, as Bauza labelled it pre-match. Thus, the UAE laid a platform for December’s Gulf Cup and the 2019 Asian Cup – on home soil – too. They need to build on that.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

THE SPECS

Engine: 3-litre V6

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 424hp

Torque: 580 Nm

Price: From Dh399,000

On sale: Now

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

QUALIFYING RESULTS

1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.

Eliminated after second session

11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.

Eliminated after first session

15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.

Three ways to boost your credit score

Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:

1. Make sure you make your payments on time;

2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;

3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Match info:

Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')

Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')

On Women's Day

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

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The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

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Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card

6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m

RESULT

Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo

Transmission: CVT

Power: 170bhp

Torque: 220Nm

Price: Dh98,900

How it works

A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank

Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night

The charge is stored inside a battery

The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode

A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes

This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode

When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again

The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge

No limit on how many times you can charge

UNSC Elections 2022-23

Seats open:

Two for Africa Group
One for Asia-Pacific Group (traditionally Arab state or Tunisia)
One for Latin America and Caribbean Group
One for Eastern Europe Group

Countries so far running:

UAE
Albania
Brazil

More on Quran memorisation:

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More from Tom Fletcher

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'Peninsula'

Stars: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Ra

Director: Yeon Sang-ho

Rating: 2/5

Usain Bolt's time for the 100m at major championships

2008 Beijing Olympics 9.69 seconds

2009 Berlin World Championships 9.58

2011 Daegu World Championships Disqualified

2012 London Olympics 9.63

2013 Moscow World Championships 9.77

2015 Beijing World Championships 9.79

2016 Rio Olympics 9.81

2017 London World Championships 9.95

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

While you're here

Con Coughlin: Nato must renew its sense of common purpose

Sholto Byrnes: In today's times, what is Nato really good for?

C Uday Bhaskar: Could the 'Quad' become Asia's new Nato?

FIXTURES

All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Killing of Qassem Suleimani

National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate

Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead

Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble

Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground

Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile

Why seagrass matters

Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality

Specs

Engine: 2-litre

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 255hp

Torque: 273Nm

Price: Dh240,000

While you're here

National Editorial: Why is a Muslim Brotherhood-linked app still on Apple and Google Play?

Damien McElroy: Europe's response to Islamist extremism is encouraging but not enough

Con Coughlin: How extremists are using Zoom and other tools to exploit this pandemic

FIXTURES

Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan

The top two teams qualify for the World Cup

Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.

Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff

Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence

Steve Baker
Peter Bone
Ben Bradley
Andrew Bridgen
Maria Caulfield
Simon Clarke
Philip Davies
Nadine Dorries
James Duddridge
Mark Francois
Chris Green
Adam Holloway
Andrea Jenkyns
Anne-Marie Morris
Sheryll Murray
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Laurence Robertson
Lee Rowley
Henry Smith
Martin Vickers
John Whittingdale

MATCH INFO

Fulham 0

Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')

Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Top tips to avoid cyber fraud

Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:

1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.

2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.

3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.

4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.

5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.